Electronic smoking article having a vapor-enhancing apparatus and associated method

ABSTRACT

A vapor-enhancing apparatus is provided for an electronic vapor smoking article. Such an apparatus includes a filter material and a tubular housing defining a lumen. The lumen has a mouth-engaging end and a longitudinally-opposed component-engaging end, and is configured to receive the filter material therein. The component-engaging end is adapted to operably engage a control body portion associated with the electronic vapor smoking article and to receive a vapor therethrough. A vapor-enhancing element is operably engaged with the filter material and is configured to enhance the vapor drawn through the filter material within the lumen, and through the mouth-engaging end, by application of suction to the mouth-engaging end of the housing. An associated method is also provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery articles and usesthereof, and in particular to articles that can be considered to besmoking articles for purposes of yielding components of tobacco andother materials in an inhalable form. Highly preferred components ofsuch articles are made or derived from tobacco, or those articles can becharacterized as otherwise incorporating tobacco for human consumption.

Description of Related Art

Many smoking devices have been proposed through the years asimprovements upon, or alternatives to, smoking products that requirecombusting tobacco for use. Many of those devices purportedly have beendesigned to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar, orpipe smoking, but without delivering considerable quantities ofincomplete combustion and pyrolysis products that result from theburning of tobacco. To this end, there have been proposed numeroussmoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers that utilizeelectrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material, or attempt toprovide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking withoutburning tobacco to a significant degree. See, for example, the variousalternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heatgenerating sources set forth in the background art described in U.S.Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al. and U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/647,000, filed Oct. 8, 2012, to Sears et al., which areincorporated herein by reference.

Certain tobacco products that have employed electrical energy to produceheat for smoke or aerosol formation, and in particular, certain productsthat have been referred to as electronic cigarette products, have beencommercially available throughout the world. Representative productsthat resemble many of the attributes of traditional types of cigarettes,cigars or pipes have been marketed as ACCORD® by Philip MorrisIncorporated; ALPHA™, JOYE 510™ and M4™ by InnoVapor LLC; CIRRUS™ andFLING™ by White Cloud Cigarettes; COHITA™, COLIBRI™, ELITE CLASSIC™,MAGNUM™, PHANTOM™ and SENSE™ by Epuffer® International Inc.; DUOPRO™,STORM™ and VAPORKING® by Electronic Cigarettes, Inc.; EGAR™ by EgarAustralia; eGo-C™ and eGo-T™ by Joyetech; ELUSION™ by Elusion UK Ltd;EONSMOKE® by Eonsmoke LLC; GREEN SMOKE® by Green Smoke Inc. USA;GREENARETTE™ by Greenarette LLC; HALLIGAN™, HENDU™, JET™, MAXXQ™, PINK™and PITBULL™ by Smoke Stik®; HEATBAR™ by Philip Morris International,Inc.; HYDRO IMPERIAL™ and LXE™ from Crown7; LOGIC™ and THE CUBAN™ byLOGIC Technology; LUCI® by Luciano Smokes Inc.; METRO® by Nicotek, LLC;NJOY® and ONEJOY™ by Sottera, Inc.; NO. 7™ by SS Choice LLC; PREMIUMELECTRONIC CIGARETTE™ by PremiumEstore LLC; RAPP E-MYSTICK™ by RuyanAmerica, Inc.; RED DRAGON™ by Red Dragon Products, LLC; RUYAN® by RuyanGroup (Holdings) Ltd.; SMART SMOKER® by The Smart Smoking ElectronicCigarette Company Ltd.; SMOKE ASSIST® by Coastline Products LLC; SMOKINGEVERYWHERE® by Smoking Everywhere, Inc.; V2CIGS™ by VMR Products LLC;VAPOR NINE™ by VaporNine LLC; VAPOR4LIFE® by Vapor 4 Life, Inc.; VEPPO™by E-CigaretteDirect, LLC and VUSE® by R. J. Reynolds Vapor Company. Yetother electrically powered aerosol delivery devices, and in particularthose devices that have been characterized as so-called electroniccigarettes, have been marketed under the tradenames BLU™; COOLERVISIONS™; DIRECT E-CIG™; DRAGONFLY™; EMIST™; EVERSMOKE™; GAMUCCI®;HYBRID FLAME™; KNIGHT STICKS™; ROYAL BLUES™; SMOKETIP® and SOUTH BEACHSMOKE™.

It would be desirable to provide a smoking article that employs heatproduced by electrical energy to provide the sensations of cigarette,cigar, or pipe smoking, that does so without combusting tobacco to anysignificant degree, that does so without the need of a combustion heatsource, and that does so without necessarily delivering considerablequantities of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The above and other needs are met by the present disclosure which, inone aspect, provides a vapor-enhancing apparatus for an electronic vaporsmoking article. Such an apparatus comprises a filter material and atubular housing defining a lumen. The tubular housing has amouth-engaging end and a longitudinally-opposed component-engaging end,and the lumen is configured to receive the filter material therein. Thecomponent-engaging end is adapted to engage a cartridge body portionassociated with the electronic vapor smoking article and to receive avapor therefrom. A vapor-enhancing element is operably engaged with thefilter material and is configured to enhance the vapor drawn from thecartridge body portion associated with the electronic vapor smokingarticle through the filter material within the lumen, and through themouth-engaging end, by application of a suction to the mouth-engagingend of the housing.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of enhancinga vapor produced by an electronic vapor smoking article. Such a methodcomprises engaging a component-engaging end of a tubular housing with acartridge body portion associated with the electronic vapor smokingarticle, wherein the tubular housing has a mouth-engaging endlongitudinally-opposed to the component-engaging end, and defines alumen configured to receive a filter material therein. A vapor isreceived in the lumen of the housing from the cartridge body portion inresponse to application of a suction to the mouth-engaging end of thehousing, and the vapor drawn through the filter material by the suctionis enhanced with a vapor-enhancing element operably engaged with thefilter material.

Aspects of the present disclosure thus address the identified needs andprovide other advantages as detailed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Having thus described the disclosure in the foregoing general terms,reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are notnecessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example embodiment of an electronicvapor smoking article according to the disclosure, wherein a portion ofan outer shell of the article is cut away to reveal the interiorcomponents thereof;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example embodiment of an electronicvapor smoking article according to the disclosure, wherein the articlecomprises a control body and a cartridge that are attachable anddetachable with respect to each other;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of an example embodiment of anelectronic vapor smoking article according to another aspect of thedisclosure, wherein the article comprises a control body and a cartridgethat are attachable and detachable with respect to each other;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of an example embodiment of an electronicvapor smoking article according to the disclosure, wherein the articlecomprises a control body and a cartridge that are attachable anddetachable with respect to each other, and wherein a vapor-enhancingaspect is engaged with a mouth-end portion of the electronic vaporsmoking article;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of an example embodiment of an electronicvapor smoking article according to the disclosure, wherein the articlecomprises a control body and a cartridge that are attachable anddetachable with respect to each other, and wherein a vapor-enhancingaspect is disengaged from a mouth-end portion of the electronic vaporsmoking article; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic of a method of enhancing a vapor produced by anelectronic vapor smoking article, according to one aspect of thedisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to exemplary embodiments thereof. These exemplary embodimentsare described so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, andwill fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in theart. Indeed, the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms andshould not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein;rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure willsatisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification, andin the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, includeplural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

The present disclosure provides descriptions of articles that useelectrical energy to heat a material (preferably without combusting thematerial to any significant degree) to form an inhalable substance; sucharticles most preferably being sufficiently compact to be considered“hand-held” devices. In certain highly preferred embodiments, thearticles can be characterized as smoking articles. As used herein, theterm “smoking article” is intended to mean an article or device thatprovides many of the sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalationrituals, types of tastes or flavors, organoleptic effects, physicalfeel, use rituals, visual cues such as those provided by visibleaerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, withoutany substantial degree of combustion of any component of that article ordevice. As used herein, the term “smoking article” does not necessarilymean that, in operation, the article or device produces smoke in thesense of the aerosol resulting from by-products of combustion orpyrolysis of tobacco, but rather, that the article or device yieldsvapors (including vapors within aerosols that can be considered to bevisible aerosols that might be considered to be described as smoke-like)resulting from volatilization or vaporization of certain components ofthe article or device. In highly preferred embodiments, articles ordevices characterized as smoking articles incorporate tobacco and/orcomponents derived from tobacco.

Articles or devices of the present disclosure also can be characterizedas being vapor-producing articles, aerosol delivery articles ormedicament delivery articles. Thus, such articles or devices can beadapted so as to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavors and/orpharmaceutical active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. Forexample, inhalable substances can be substantially in the form of avapor (i.e., a substance that is in the gas phase at a temperature lowerthan its critical point). Alternatively, inhalable substances can be inthe form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles orliquid droplets in a gas). For purposes of simplicity, the term“aerosol” as used herein is meant to include vapors, gases and aerosolsof a form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether or not visible,and whether or not of a form that might be considered to be smoke-like.

In use, smoking articles of the present disclosure are subjected many ofthe physical actions of an individual in using a traditional type ofsmoking article (e.g., a cigarette, cigar or pipe that is employed bylighting with a flame and used by inhaling tobacco that is subsequentlyburned). For example, the user of a smoking article of the presentdisclosure can hold that article much like a traditional type of smokingarticle, draw on one end of that article for inhalation of aerosolproduced by that article, and take puffs at selected intervals of time.

Smoking articles of the present disclosure generally include a number ofcomponents provided within an outer shell or body. The overall design ofthe outer shell or body can vary, and the format or configuration of theouter body that can define the overall size and shape of the smokingarticle can vary. Typically, an elongated body resembling the shape of acigarette or cigar can be a formed from a single, unitary shell; or theelongated body can be formed of two or more separable pieces. Forexample, a smoking article can comprise an elongated shell or body thatcan be substantially tubular in shape, and as such, resemble the shapeof a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one embodiment, all of thecomponents of the smoking article are contained within one outer body orshell. Alternatively, a smoking article can comprise two shells that arejoined and are separable. For example, a smoking article can possess atone end a control body comprising a shell containing one or morereusable components (e.g., a rechargeable battery and variouselectronics for controlling the operation of that article), and at theother end and removably attached thereto a shell containing a disposableportion (e.g., a disposable flavor-containing cartridge). More specificformats, configurations and arrangements of components within the singleshell type of unit or within a multi-piece separable shell type of unitwill be evident in light of the further disclosure provided herein.Additionally, various smoking article designs and component arrangementscan be appreciated upon consideration of the commercially availableelectronic smoking articles, such as those representative productslisted in the background art section of the present disclosure.

Smoking articles of the present disclosure most preferably comprise somecombination of a power source (i.e., an electrical power source), atleast one control component (e.g., means for actuating, controlling,regulating and ceasing power for heat generation, such as by controllingelectrical current flow from the power source to other components of thearticle), a heater or heat generation component (e.g., an electricalresistance heating element or component commonly referred to as an“atomizer”), and an aerosol precursor component (e.g., commonly a liquidcapable of yielding an aerosol upon application of sufficient heat, suchas ingredients commonly referred to as “smoke juice,” “e-liquid” and“e-juice”), and a mouth-end region, portion, or tip for allowing drawupon the smoking article for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined airflow path through the article such that aerosol generated can bewithdrawn therefrom upon draw). Alignment of the components within thearticle can vary. In specific embodiments, the aerosol precursorcomponent can be located near an end of the article (e.g., with acartridge which, in certain circumstances, can be replaceable anddisposable) that is proximal to the mouth of a user so as to maximizeaerosol delivery to the user. Other configurations, however, are notexcluded. Generally, the heater component can be positioned sufficientlynear that aerosol precursor component so that heat from the heatercomponent can volatilize the aerosol precursor (as well as one or moreflavorants, medicaments, or the like that may likewise be provided fordelivery to a user) and form an aerosol for delivery to the user. Whenthe heating member heats the aerosol precursor component, an aerosol isformed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable forinhalation by a consumer. It should be noted that the foregoing termsare meant to be interchangeable such that reference to release,releasing, releases, or released includes form or generate, forming orgenerating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically,an inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor or aerosol ormixture thereof. Additionally, the selection of various smoking articlecomponents can be appreciated upon consideration of the commerciallyavailable electronic smoking articles, such as those representativeproducts listed in the background art section of the present disclosure.

A smoking article incorporates a battery or other electrical powersource to provide current flow sufficient to provide variousfunctionalities to the article, such as resistive heating, powering ofcontrol systems, powering of indicators, and the like. The power sourcecan take on various embodiments. Preferably, the power source is able todeliver sufficient power to rapidly heat the heating member to providefor aerosol formation and power the article through use for the desiredduration of time. The power source preferably is sized to fitconveniently within the article so that the article can be easilyhandled; and additionally, preferred a preferred power source is of asufficiently light weight to not detract from a desirable smokingexperience.

Examples of useful power sources include lithium ion batteries thatpreferably are rechargeable (e.g., a rechargeable lithium-manganesedioxide battery). In particular, lithium polymer batteries can be usedas such batteries can provide increased safety. Other types ofbatteries—e.g., N50-AAA CADNICA nickel-cadmium cells—may also be used.Even further examples of batteries that can be used according to thedisclosure are described in US Pub. App. No. 2010/0028766, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Thin film batteries may be used in certain embodiments of thedisclosure. Any of these batteries or combinations thereof can be usedin the power source, but rechargeable batteries are preferred because ofcost and disposal considerations associated with disposable batteries.In embodiments wherein disposable batteries are provided, smokingarticle can include access for removal and replacement of the battery.Alternatively, in embodiments where rechargeable batteries are used, thesmoking article can comprise charging contacts, for interaction withcorresponding contacts in a conventional recharging unit deriving powerfrom a standard 120-volt AC wall outlet, or other sources such as anautomobile electrical system or a separate portable power supply,including USB connections. Means for recharging the battery can beprovided in a portable charging case that can include, for example, arelatively larger battery unit that can provide multiple charges for therelatively smaller batteries present in the smoking article. The articlefurther can include components for providing a non-contact inductiverecharging system such that the article can be charged without beingphysically connected to an external power source. Thus, the article caninclude components to facilitate transfer of energy from anelectromagnetic field to the rechargeable battery within the article.

In further embodiments, the power source also can comprise one or morecapacitors. Capacitors are capable of discharging more quickly thanbatteries and can be charged between puffs, allowing the battery todischarge into the capacitor at a lower rate than if it were used topower the heating member directly. For example, a supercapacitor—i.e.,an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC)—may be used separate from orin combination with a battery. When used alone, the supercapacitor maybe recharged before each use of the article. Thus, the disclosure alsomay include a charger component that can be attached to the smokingarticle between uses to replenish the supercapacitor.

The smoking article can further include a variety of power managementsoftware, hardware, and/or other electronic control components. Forexample, such software, hardware, and/or electronic controls can includecarrying out charging of the battery, detecting the battery charge anddischarge status, performing power save operations, preventingunintentional or over-discharge of the battery, or the like.

A “controller” or “control component” according to the presentdisclosure can encompass a variety of elements useful in the presentsmoking article. Moreover, a smoking article according to the disclosurecan include one, two, or even more control components that can becombined into a unitary element or that can be present at separatelocations within the smoking article, and individual control componentscan be utilized for carrying out different control aspects. For example,a smoking article can include a control component that is integral to orotherwise combined with a battery so as to control power discharge fromthe battery. The smoking article separately can include a controlcomponent that controls other aspects of the article. Alternatively, asingle controller may be provided that carries out multiple controlaspects or all control aspects of the article. Likewise, a sensor (e.g.,a puff sensor) used in the article can include a control component thatcontrols the actuation of power discharge from the power source inresponse to a stimulus. The smoking article separately can include acontrol component that controls other aspects of the article.Alternatively, a single controller may be provided in or otherwiseassociated with the sensor for carrying out multiple control aspects orall control aspects of the article. Thus, it can be seen that a varietyof combinations of controllers may be combined in the present smokingarticle to provide the desired level of control of all aspects of thedevice.

The smoking article also can comprise one or more controller componentsuseful for controlling flow of electrical energy from the power sourceto further components of the article, such as to a resistive heatingelement. Specifically, the article can comprise a control component thatactuates current flow from the power source, such as to the resistiveheating element. For example, in some embodiments, the article caninclude a pushbutton that can be linked to a control circuit for manualcontrol of power flow, wherein a consumer can use the pushbutton to turnon the article and/or to actuate current flow into the resistive heatingelement. Multiple buttons can be provided for manual performance ofpowering the article on and off, and for activating heating for aerosolgeneration. One or more pushbuttons present can be substantially flushwith an outer surface of the smoking article.

Instead of (or in addition to) the pushbutton, the inventive article caninclude one or more control components responsive to the consumer'sdrawing on the article (i.e., puff-actuated heating). For example, thearticle may include a switch that is sensitive either to pressurechanges or air flow changes as the consumer draws on the article (i.e.,a puff-actuated switch). Other suitable current actuation/deactuationmechanisms may include a temperature actuated on/off switch or a lippressure actuated switch. An exemplary mechanism that can provide suchpuff-actuation capability includes a Model 163PC01D36 silicon sensor,manufactured by the MicroSwitch division of Honeywell, Inc., Freeport,Ill. With such sensor, the resistive heating element can be activatedrapidly by a change in pressure when the consumer draws on the article.In addition, flow sensing devices, such as those using hot-wireanemometry principles, may be used to cause the energizing of theresistive heating element sufficiently rapidly after sensing a change inair flow. A further puff actuated switch that may be used is a pressuredifferential switch, such as Model No. MPL-502-V, range A, from MicroPneumatic Logic, Inc., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Another suitable puffactuated mechanism is a sensitive pressure transducer (e.g., equippedwith an amplifier or gain stage) which is in turn coupled with acomparator for detecting a predetermined threshold pressure. Yet anothersuitable puff actuated mechanism is a vane which is deflected byairflow, the motion of which vane is detected by a movement sensingmeans. Yet another suitable actuation mechanism is a piezoelectricswitch. Also useful is a suitably connected Honeywell MicroSwitchMicrobridge Airflow Sensor, Part No. AWM 2100V from MicroSwitch Divisionof Honeywell, Inc., Freeport, Ill. Further examples of demand-operatedelectrical switches that may be employed in a heating circuit accordingto the present disclosure are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,217 toGerth et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Other suitable differential switches, analog pressure sensors, flow ratesensors, or the like, will be apparent to the skilled artisan with theknowledge of the present disclosure. A pressure-sensing tube or otherpassage providing fluid connection between the puff actuated switch andan air flow passage within the smoking article can be included so thatpressure changes during draw are readily identified by the switch.Further description of current regulating circuits and other controlcomponents, including microcontrollers, that can be useful in thepresent smoking article are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,922,901,4,947,874, and 4,947,875, all to Brooks et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148to McCafferty et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al.,and U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,314 to Nguyen et al., all of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Capacitive sensing components in particular can be incorporated into thedevice in a variety of manners to allow for diverse types of “power-up”and/or “power-down” for one or more components of the device. Capacitivesensing can include the use of any sensor incorporating technology basedon capacitive coupling including, but not limited to, sensors thatdetect and/or measure proximity, position or displacement, humidity,fluid level, pressure, or acceleration. Capacitive sensing can arisefrom electronic components providing for surface capacitance, projectedcapacitance, mutual capacitance, or self capacitance. Capacitive sensorsgenerally can detect anything that is conductive or has a dielectricdifferent than that of air. Capacitive sensors, for example, can replacemechanical buttons (i.e., the push-button referenced above) withcapacitive alternatives. Thus, one specific application of capacitivesensing according to the disclosure is a touch capacitive sensor. Forexample, a touch pad can be present on the smoking article that allowsthe user to input a variety of commands. Most basically, the touch padcan provide for powering the heating element much in the same manner asa push button, as already described above. In other embodiments,capacitive sensing can be applied near the mouth end of the smokingarticle such that the pressure of the lips on the smoking article todraw on the article can signal the device to provide power to theheating element. In addition to touch capacitance sensors, motioncapacitance sensors, liquid capacitance sensors, and accelerometers canbe utilized according to the disclosure to illicit a variety of responsefrom the smoking article. Further, photoelectric sensors also can beincorporated into the inventive smoking article.

Sensors utilized in the present articles can expressly signal for powerflow to the heating element so as to heat the substrate including theaerosol precursor material and form a vapor or aerosol for inhalation bya user. Sensors also can provide further functions. For example, a“wake-up” sensor can be included. Other sensing methods providingsimilar function likewise can be utilized according to the disclosure.

When the consumer draws on the mouth end of the smoking article, thecurrent actuation means can permit unrestricted or uninterrupted flow ofcurrent through the resistive heating member to generate heat rapidly.Because of the rapid heating, it can be useful to include currentregulating components to (i) regulate current flow through the heatingmember to control heating of the resistive element and the temperatureexperienced thereby, and (ii) prevent overheating and degradation of thesubstrate or other component carrying the aerosol precursor materialand/or other flavors or inhalable materials.

The current regulating circuit particularly may be time based.Specifically, such a circuit includes a means for permittinguninterrupted current flow through the heating element for an initialtime period during draw, and a timer means for subsequently regulatingcurrent flow until draw is completed. For example, the subsequentregulation can include the rapid on-off switching of current flow (e.g.,on the order of about every 1 to 50 milliseconds) to maintain theheating element within the desired temperature range. Further,regulation may comprise simply allowing uninterrupted current flow untilthe desired temperature is achieved then turning off the current flowcompletely. The heating member may be reactivated by the consumerinitiating another puff on the article (or manually actuating thepushbutton, depending upon the specific switch embodiment employed foractivating the heater). Alternatively, the subsequent regulation caninvolve the modulation of current flow through the heating element tomaintain the heating element within a desired temperature range. In someembodiments, so as to release the desired dosing of the inhalablesubstance, the heating member may be energized for a duration of about0.2 second to about 5.0 seconds, about 0.3 second to about 4.5 seconds,about 0.5 second to about 4.0 seconds, about 0.5 second to about 3.5seconds, or about 0.6 second to about 3.0 seconds. One exemplarytime-based current regulating circuit can include a transistor, a timer,a comparator, and a capacitor. Suitable transistors, timers,comparators, and capacitors are commercially available and will beapparent to the skilled artisan. Exemplary timers are those availablefrom NEC Electronics as C-1555C and from General Electric Intersil, Inc.as ICM7555, as well as various other sizes and configurations ofso-called “555 Timers”. An exemplary comparator is available fromNational Semiconductor as LM311. Further description of such time-basedcurrent regulating circuits and other control components that can beuseful in the present smoking article are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos.4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875, all to Brooks et al., all of whichare incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The control components particularly can be configured to closely controlthe amount of heat provided to the resistive heating element. In someembodiments, the current regulating component can function to stopcurrent flow to the resistive heating element once a defined temperaturehas been achieved. Such defined temperature can be in a range that issubstantially high enough to volatilize the aerosol precursor materialand any further inhalable substances and provide an amount of aerosolequivalent to a typical puff on a conventional cigarette, as otherwisediscussed herein. While the heat needed to volatilize the aerosolprecursor material in a sufficient volume to provide a desired volumefor a single puff can vary, it can be particularly useful for theheating member to heat to a temperature of about 120° C. or greater,about 130° C. or greater, about 140° C. or greater, or about 160° C. Insome embodiments, in order to volatilize an appropriate amount of theaerosol precursor material, the heating temperature may be about 180° C.or greater, about 200° C. or greater, about 300° C. or greater, or about350° C. or greater. In further embodiments, the defined temperature foraerosol formation can be about 120° C. to about 350° C., about 140° C.to about 300° C., or about 150° C. to about 250° C. The temperature andtime of heating can be controlled by one or more components contained inthe control housing. The current regulating component likewise can cyclethe current to the resistive heating element off and on once a definedtemperature has been achieved so as to maintain the defined temperaturefor a defined period of time.

Still further, the current regulating component can cycle the current tothe resistive heating element off and on to maintain a first temperaturethat is below an aerosol forming temperature and then allow an increasedcurrent flow in response to a current actuation control component so asto achieve a second temperature that is greater than the firsttemperature and that is an aerosol forming temperature. Such controllingcan improve the response time of the article for aerosol formation suchthat aerosol formation begins almost instantaneously upon initiation ofa puff by a consumer. In some embodiments, the first temperature (whichcan be characterized as a standby temperature) can be only slightly lessthan the aerosol forming temperature defined above. Specifically, thestandby temperature can be about 50° C. to about 150° C., about 70° C.to about 140° C., about 80° C. to about 120° C., or about 90° C. toabout 110° C.

In addition to the above control elements, the smoking article also maycomprise one or more indicators. Such indicators may be lights (e.g.,light emitting diodes) that can provide indication of multiple aspectsof use of the inventive article. Further, LED indicators may bepositioned at the distal end of the smoking article to simulate colorchanges seen when a conventional cigarette is lit and drawn on by auser. Other indices of operation also are encompassed. For example,visual indicators of operation also may include changes in light coloror intensity to show progression of the smoking experience. Tactileindicators of operation and sound indicators of operation similarly areencompassed by the disclosure. Moreover, combinations of such indicatorsof operation also may be used in a single article.

A smoking article according to the disclosure further can comprise aheating member that heats an aerosol precursor component to produce anaerosol for inhalation by a user. In various embodiments, the heatingmember can be formed of a material that provides resistive heating whenan electrical current is applied thereto. Preferably, the resistiveheating element exhibits an electrical resistance making the resistiveheating element useful for providing a sufficient quantity of heat whenelectrical current flows therethrough. Interaction of the heating memberwith the aerosol precursor component/composition may be through, forexample, heat conduction, heat radiation, and/or heat convection.

Electrically conductive materials useful as resistive heating elementscan be those having low mass, low density, and moderate resistivity andthat are thermally stable at the temperatures experienced during use.Useful heating elements heat and cool rapidly, and thus provide for theefficient use of energy. Rapid heating of the element can be beneficialto provide almost immediate volatilization of an aerosol precursormaterial in proximity thereto. Rapid cooling (i.e., to a temperaturebelow the volatilization temperature of the aerosol precursorcomponent/composition/material) prevents substantial volatilization (andhence waste) of the aerosol precursor material during periods whenaerosol formation is not desired. Such heating elements also permitrelatively precise control of the temperature range experienced by theaerosol precursor material, especially when time based current controlis employed. Useful electrically conductive materials preferably arechemically non-reactive with the materials being heated (e.g., aerosolprecursor materials and other inhalable substance materials) so as notto adversely affect the flavor or content of the aerosol or vapor thatis produced. Exemplary, non-limiting, materials that can be used as theelectrically conductive material include carbon, graphite,carbon/graphite composites, metals, metallic and non-metallic carbides,nitrides, silicides, inter-metallic compounds, cermets, metal alloys,and metal foils. In particular, refractory materials may be useful.Various, different materials can be mixed to achieve the desiredproperties of resistivity, mass, and thermal conductivity. In specificembodiments, metals that can be utilized include, for example, nickel,chromium, alloys of nickel and chromium (e.g., nichrome), and steel.Materials that can be useful for providing resistive heating aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,671 to Counts et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,093,894 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,498 to Deevi et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 5,228,460 to Sprinkel Jr., et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,075 toDeevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,813 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,468,936 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,850 to Das; U.S. Pat. No.5,659,656 to Das; U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,855 to Deevi et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,530,225 to Hajaligol; U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,262 to Hajaligol; U.S. Pat.No. 5,573,692 to Das et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,368 to Fleischhaueret al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

The resistive heating element can be provided in a variety forms, suchas in the form of a foil, a foam, discs, spirals, fibers, wires, films,yarns, strips, ribbons, or cylinders, as well as irregular shapes ofvarying dimensions. In some embodiments, a resistive heating elementaccording to the present disclosure can be a conductive substrate, suchas described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/432,406,filed Mar. 28, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. The resistive heating element also may bepresent as part of a microheater component, such as described inco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/602,871, filed Sep. 4,2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

Beneficially, the resistive heating element can be provided in a formthat enables the heating element to be positioned in intimate contactwith or in close proximity to the aerosol precursor material (i.e. toprovide heat to the aerosol precursor material through, for example,conduction, radiation, or convection). In other embodiments, theresistive heating element can be provided in a form such that theaerosol precursor material can be delivered to the resistive heatingelement for aerosolization. Such delivery can take on a variety ofembodiments, such as wicking of the aerosol precursor to the resistiveheating element and flowing the aerosol precursor to the resistiveheating element, such as through a capillary, which may include valveflow regulation. As such, the aerosol precursor material may be providedin liquid form in one or more reservoirs positioned sufficiently awayfrom the resistive heating element to prevent premature aerosolization,but positioned sufficiently close to the resistive heating element tofacilitate transport of the aerosol precursor material, in the desiredamount, to the resistive heating element for aerosolization.

In certain embodiments, a smoking article according to the presentdisclosure can include tobacco, a tobacco component, or atobacco-derived material (i.e., a material that is found naturally intobacco that may be isolated directly from the tobacco or syntheticallyprepared). The tobacco that is employed can include, or can be derivedfrom, tobaccos such as flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, Orientaltobacco, Maryland tobacco, dark tobacco, dark-fired tobacco and Rusticatobacco, as well as other rare or specialty tobaccos, or blends thereof.Various representative tobacco types, processed types of tobaccos, andtypes of tobacco blends are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,224 toLawson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,888 to Perfetti et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,056,537 to Brown et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,942 to Brinkley et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,930 to Gentry; U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,023 to Blakley etal.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,936 to Shafer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,832to Dominguez et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,011,096 to Li et al.; U.S. Pat. No.7,017,585 to Li et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,066 to Lawson et al.; USPat. App. Pub. No. 2004/0255965 to Perfetti et al.; PCT Pub. WO 02/37990to Bereman; and Bombick et al., Fund. Appl. Toxicol., 39, p. 11-17(1997); the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

The tobacco that is incorporated within the smoking article can beemployed in various forms; and combinations of various forms of tobaccocan be employed, or different forms of tobacco can be employed atdifferent locations within the smoking article. For example, the tobaccocan be employed in the form of a tobacco extract. See, for example, U.S.Pat. No. 7,647,932 to Cantrell et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,371 toRobinson et al.; and US Pat. Pub. No. 2007/0215167 to Crooks et al., thedisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

The smoking article can incorporate tobacco additives of the type thatare traditionally used for the manufacture of tobacco products. Thoseadditives can include the types of materials used to enhance the flavorand aroma of tobaccos used for the production of cigars, cigarettes,pipes, and the like. For example, those additives can include variouscigarette casing and/or top dressing components. See, for example, U.S.Pat. No. 3,419,015 to Wochnowski; U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,145 to Berndt etal.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,619 to Burcham, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,022,416 to Watson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,842 to Strang et al.; and U.S.Pat. No. 5,711,320 to Martin; the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. Preferred casing materialsinclude water, sugars and syrups (e.g., sucrose, glucose and highfructose corn syrup), humectants (e.g. glycerin or propylene glycol),and flavoring agents (e.g., cocoa and licorice). Those added componentsalso include top dressing materials (e.g., flavoring materials, such asmenthol). See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,541 to Mays et al., thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Further materials that can be added include those disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 4,830,028 to Lawson et al. and US Pat. Pub. No. 2008/0245377 toMarshall et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

Various manners and methods for incorporating tobacco into smokingarticles, and particularly smoking articles that are designed so as tonot purposefully burn virtually all of the tobacco within those smokingarticles, are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,874 to Brooks et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 7,647,932 to Cantrell et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,371 toRobinson et al.; US Pat. App. Pub. No. 2005/0016549 to Banerjee et al.;and US Pat. App. Pub. No. 2007/0215167 to Crooks et al.; the disclosuresof which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Further tobacco materials, such as a tobacco aroma oil, a tobaccoessence, a spray dried tobacco extract, a freeze dried tobacco extract,tobacco dust, or the like may be included in the vapor precursor oraerosol precursor composition. As used herein, the term “tobaccoextract” means components separated from, removed from, or derived from,tobacco using tobacco extraction processing conditions and techniques.Purified extracts of tobacco or other botanicals specifically can beused. Typically, tobacco extracts are obtained using solvents, such assolvents having an aqueous nature (e.g., water) or organic solvents(e.g., alcohols, such as ethanol or alkanes, such as hexane). As such,extracted tobacco components are removed from tobacco and separated fromthe unextracted tobacco components; and for extracted tobacco componentsthat are present within a solvent, (i) the solvent can be removed fromthe extracted tobacco components, or (ii) the mixture of extractedtobacco components and solvent can be used as such. Exemplary types oftobacco extracts, tobacco essences, solvents, tobacco extractionprocessing conditions and techniques, and tobacco extract collection andisolation procedures, are set forth in Australia Pat. No. 276,250 toSchachner; U.S. Pat. No. 2,805,669 to Meriro; U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,919 toGreen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,754 to Tughan; U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,171to Rooker; U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,118 to Luttich; U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,677to Osborne; U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,117 to Kite; U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,682 toMuller; U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,286 to Roberts et al.; U.S. Pat. No.5,005,593 to Fagg; U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,775 to Fagg; U.S. Pat. No.5,060,669 to White et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,319 to White et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 5,099,862 to White et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,757 to White etal.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,415 to Munoz et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,354 toSmith et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,992 to Sensabaugh; U.S. Pat. No.5,243,999 to Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,694 to Raymond; U.S. Pat. No.5,318,050 to Gonzalez-Parra et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,325 to Clapp etal.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,169 to Brinkley et al.; the disclosures ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The aerosol precursor or vapor precursor material can comprise one ormore different components. For example, the aerosol precursor caninclude a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, or amixture thereof). Representative types of further aerosol precursormaterials are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh, Jr. etal.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,839 to Jakob et al.; PCT WO 98/57556 to Biggset al.; and Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypesthat Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco CompanyMonograph (1988); the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference. In some embodiments, an aerosol precursor composition canproduce a visible aerosol upon the application of sufficient heatthereto (and cooling with air, if necessary), and the aerosol precursorcomposition can produce an aerosol that can be considered to be“smoke-like.” In other embodiments, the aerosol precursor compositioncan produce an aerosol that can be substantially non-visible but can berecognized as present by other characteristics, such as flavor ortexture. Thus, the nature of the produced aerosol can vary dependingupon the specific components of the aerosol precursor composition. Theaerosol precursor composition can be chemically simple relative to thechemical nature of the smoke produced by burning tobacco.

Aerosol precursor materials can be combined with other liquid materials.For example, aerosol precursor material formulations can incorporatemixtures of glycerin and water, or mixtures of propylene glycol andwater, or mixtures of propylene glycol and glycerin, or mixtures ofpropylene glycol, glycerin, and water. Exemplary aerosol precursormaterials also include those types of materials incorporated withindevices available through Atlanta Imports Inc., Acworth, Ga., USA., asan electronic cigar having the brand name E-CIG, which can be employedusing associated Smoking Cartridges Type C1a, C2a, C3a, C4a, C1b, C2b,C3b and C4b; and as Ruyan Atomizing Electronic Pipe and Ruyan AtomizingElectronic Cigarette from Ruyan SBT Technology and Development Co.,Ltd., Beijing, China.

The smoking article further can comprise one or more flavors,medicaments, or other inhalable materials. For example, liquid nicotinecan be used. Such further materials may be combined with the aerosolprecursor or vapor precursor material. Thus, the aerosol precursor orvapor precursor material may be described as comprising an inhalablesubstance in addition to the aerosol. Such inhalable substance caninclude flavors, medicaments, and other materials as discussed herein.Particularly, an inhalable substance delivered using a smoking articleaccording to the present disclosure can comprise a tobacco component ora tobacco-derived material. For example, the aerosol precursor materialcan be in a slurry with tobacco or a tobacco component, or in solutionwith a tobacco-derived material. Alternately, the flavor, medicament, orother inhalable material can be provided separate from the aerosolprecursor—e.g., in a reservoir. As such, defined aliquots of the flavor,medicament, or other inhalable material may be separately orsimultaneously delivered to the resistive heating element to release theflavor, medicament, or other inhalable material into an air stream to beinhaled by a user along with the aerosol precursor or vapor precursormaterial. Alternatively, the flavor, medicament, or other inhalablematerial may be provided in a separate portion of the smoking article ora component thereof. In specific embodiments, the flavor, medicament, orother inhalable material can be deposited on a substrate (e.g., a paperor other porous material) that is located in proximity to the resistiveheating element. The proximity preferably is sufficient such thatheating of the resistive heating element provides heat to the substratesufficient to volatilize and release the flavor, medicament, or otherinhalable material from the substrate.

A wide variety of types of flavoring agents, or materials that alter thesensory or organoleptic character or nature of the mainstream aerosol ofthe smoking article, can be employed. Such flavoring agents can beprovided from sources other than tobacco, can be natural or artificialin nature, and can be employed as concentrates or flavor packages. Ofparticular interest are flavoring agents that are applied to, orincorporated within, those regions of the smoking article where aerosolis generated. Again, such agents can be supplied directly to theresistive heating element or may be provided on a substrate as alreadynoted above. Exemplary flavoring agents include vanillin, ethylvanillin, cream, tea, coffee, fruit (e.g., apple, cherry, strawberry,peach and citrus flavors, including lime and lemon), maple, menthol,mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, nutmeg, clove, lavender,cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, cinnamon, sandalwood, jasmine,cascarilla, cocoa, licorice, and flavorings and flavor packages of thetype and character traditionally used for the flavoring of cigarette,cigar, and pipe tobaccos. Syrups, such as high fructose corn syrup, alsocan be employed. Flavoring agents also can include acidic or basiccharacteristics (e.g., organic acids, such as levulinic acid, succinicacid, and pyruvic acid). The flavoring agents can be combined with theaerosol-generating material if desired. Exemplary plant-derivedcompositions that may be used are disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No.12/971,746 to Dube et al. and U.S. application Ser. No. 13/015,744 toDube et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. The selection of such further componentscan vary based upon factors such as the sensory characteristics that aredesired for the present article, and the present disclosure is intendedto encompass any such further components that may be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art of tobacco and tobacco-related ortobacco-derived products. See, Gutcho, Tobacco Flavoring Substances andMethods, Noyes Data Corp. (1972) and Leffingwell et al., TobaccoFlavoring for Smoking Products (1972), the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Any of thematerials, such as flavorings, casings, and the like that can be usefulin combination with a tobacco material to affect sensory propertiesthereof, including organoleptic properties, such as already describedherein, may be combined with the aerosol precursor material. Organicacids particularly may be incorporated into the aerosol precursorcomposition to affect the flavor, sensation, or organoleptic propertiesof medicaments, such as nicotine, that may be combined with the aerosolprecursor composition. For example, organic acids, such as levulinicacid, lactic acid, and pyruvic acid, may be included in the aerosolprecursor composition with nicotine in amounts up to being equimolar(based on total organic acid content) with the nicotine. Any combinationof organic acids can be used. For example, the aerosol precursorcomposition can include about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of levulinic acidper one mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of pyruvic acidper one mole of nicotine, about 0.1 to about 0.5 moles of lactic acidper one mole of nicotine, or combinations thereof, up to a concentrationwherein the total amount of organic acid present is equimolar to thetotal amount of nicotine present in the aerosol precursor composition.

The aerosol precursor material may take on a variety of conformationsbased upon the various amounts of materials utilized therein. Forexample, a useful aerosol precursor material may comprise up to about98% by weight up to about 95% by weight, or up to about 90% by weight ofa polyol. This total amount can be split in any combination between twoor more different polyols. For example, one polyol can comprise about50% to about 90%, about 60% to about 90%, or about 75% to about 90% byweight of the aerosol precursor material, and a second polyol cancomprise about 2% to about 45%, about 2% to about 25%, or about 2% toabout 10% by weight of the aerosol precursor material. A useful aerosolprecursor material also can comprise up to about 25% by weight, about20% by weight or about 15% by weight water—particularly about 2% toabout 25%, about 5% to about 20%, or about 7% to about 15% by weightwater. Flavors and the like (which can include medicaments, such asnicotine) can comprise up to about 10%, up to about 8%, or up to about5% by weight of the aerosol precursor material. In some aspects, theaerosol precursor material may also include an effervescent materialadded to the aerosol formation arrangement, wherein decomposition of theeffervescent material may facilitate aerosol formation.

As a non-limiting example, an aerosol precursor material according tothe disclosure can comprise glycerol, propylene glycol, water, nicotine,and one or more flavors. Specifically, the glycerol can be present in anamount of about 70% to about 90% by weight, about 70% to about 85% byweight, or about 75% to about 85% by weight, the propylene glycol can bepresent in an amount of about 1% to about 10% by weight, about 1% toabout 8% by weight, or about 2% to about 6% by weight, the water can bepresent in an amount of about 10% to about 20% by weight, about 10% toabout 18% by weight, or about 12% to about 16% by weight, the nicotinecan be present in an amount of about 0.1% to about 5% by weight, about0.5% to about 4% by weight, or about 1% to about 3% by weight, and theflavors can be present in an amount of up to about 5% by weight, up toabout 3% by weight, or up to about 1% by weight, all amounts being basedon the total weight of the aerosol precursor material. One specific,non-limiting example of an aerosol precursor material comprises about75% to about 80% by weight glycerol, about 13% to about 15% by weightwater, about 4% to about 6% by weight propylene glycol, about 2% toabout 3% by weight nicotine, and about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weightflavors. The nicotine, for example, can be a high nicotine contenttobacco extract.

In embodiments of the aerosol precursor material that contain a tobaccoextract, including pharmaceutical grade nicotine derived from tobacco,it is advantageous for the tobacco extract to be characterized assubstantially free of compounds collectively known as Hoffmann analytes,including, for example, tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), includingN′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN),(4-methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK),N′-nitrosoanatabine (NAT), and N′-nitrosoanabasine (NAB); polyaromatichydrocarbons (PAHs), including benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene,benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, chrysene,dibenz[a,h]anthracene, and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, and the like. Incertain embodiments, the aerosol precursor material can be characterizedas completely free of any Hoffmann analytes, including TSNAs and PAHs.Embodiments of the aerosol precursor material may have TSNA levels (orother Hoffmann analyte levels) in the range of less than about 5 ppm,less than about 3 ppm, less than about 1 ppm, or less than about 0.1ppm, or even below any detectable limit. Certain extraction processes ortreatment processes can be used to achieve reductions in Hoffmannanalyte concentration. For example, a tobacco extract can be broughtinto contact with an imprinted polymer or non-imprinted polymer such asdescribed, for example, in US Pat. Pub. Nos. 2007/0186940 toBhattacharyya et al; 2011/0041859 to Rees et al.; and 2011/0159160 toJonsson et al; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/111,330 to Byrdet al., filed May 19, 2011, all of which are incorporated herein byreference. Further, the tobacco extract could be treated with ionexchange materials having amine functionality, which can remove certainaldehydes and other compounds. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,361to Horsewell et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,529 to Figlar et al., whichare incorporated by reference herein.

The amount of aerosol precursor material that is used within the smokingarticle is such that the article exhibits acceptable sensory andorganoleptic properties, and desirable performance characteristics. Forexample, it is highly preferred that sufficient aerosol precursormaterial, such as glycerin and/or propylene glycol, be employed in orderto provide for the generation of a visible mainstream aerosol that inmany regards resembles the appearance of tobacco smoke. Typically, theamount of aerosol-generating material incorporated into the smokingarticle is in the range of about 1.5 g or less, about 1 g or less, orabout 0.5 g or less. The amount of aerosol precursor material can bedependent upon factors such as the number of puffs desired per cartridgeused with the smoking article. It is desirable for theaerosol-generating composition not to introduce significant degrees ofunacceptable off-taste, filmy mouth-feel, or an overall sensoryexperience that is significantly different from that of a traditionaltype of cigarette that generates mainstream smoke by burning tobacco cutfiller. The selection of the particular aerosol-generating material andreservoir material, the amounts of those components used, and the typesof tobacco material used, can be altered in order to control the overallchemical composition of the mainstream aerosol produced by the smokingarticle.

The amount of aerosol released by the inventive article can vary.Preferably, the article is configured with a sufficient amount of theaerosol precursor material, with a sufficient amount of any furtherinhalable substance, and to function at a sufficient temperature for asufficient time to release a desired content of aerosolized materialsover a course of use. The content may be provided in a single inhalationfrom the article or may be divided so as to be provided through a numberof puffs from the article over a relatively short length of time (e.g.,less than 30 minutes, less than 20 minutes, less than 15 minutes, lessthan 10 minutes, or less than 5 minutes). For example, the article mayprovide nicotine in an amount of about 0.01 mg to about 0.5 mg, about0.05 mg to about 0.3 mg, or about 0.1 mg to about 0.2 mg, per puff onthe article. For purposes of calculations, an average puff time of about2 seconds can deliver a puff volume of about 5 ml to about 100 ml, about15 ml to about 70 ml, about 20 ml to about 60 ml, or about 25 ml toabout 50 ml. A smoking article according to the disclosure can beconfigured to provide any number of puffs calculable by the total amountof aerosol or other inhalable substance to be delivered divided by theamount to be delivered per puff. The one or more reservoirs can beloaded with the appropriate amount of aerosol precursor or otherinhalable substance to achieve the desired number of puffs and/or thedesired total amount of material to be delivered.

In further embodiments, heating can be characterized in relation to theamount of aerosol to be generated. Specifically, the article can beconfigured to provide an amount of heat necessary to generate a definedvolume of aerosol (e.g., about 5 ml to about 100 ml, or any other volumedeemed useful in a smoking article, such as otherwise described herein).In certain, the amount of heat generated can be measured in relation toa two second puff providing about 35 ml of aerosol at a heatertemperature of about 290° C. In some embodiments, the article preferablycan provide about 1 to about 50 Joules of heat per second (J/s), about 2J/s to about 40 J/s, about 3 J/s to about 35 J/s, or about 5 J/s toabout 30 J/s.

The resistive heating element preferably is in electrical connectionwith the power source of the smoking article such that electrical energycan be provided to the resistive heating element to produce heat andsubsequently aerosolize the aerosol precursor material and any otherinhalable substance provided by the smoking article. Such electricalconnection can be permanent (e.g., hard wired) or can be removable(e.g., wherein the resistive heating element is provided in a cartridgethat can be attached to and detached from a control body that includesthe power source).

Although a variety of materials for use in a smoking article accordingto the present disclosure have been described above—such as heaters,batteries, capacitors, switching components, aerosol precursors, and thelike, the disclosure should not be construed as being limited to onlythe exemplified embodiments. Rather, one of skill in the art canrecognize based on the present disclosure similar components in thefield that may be interchanged with any specific component of thepresent disclosure. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,424 to Sprinkel,Jr. discloses piezoelectric sensors that can be associated with themouth-end of a device to detect user lip activity associated with takinga draw and then trigger heating; U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,148 to McCaffertyet al. discloses a puff sensor for controlling energy flow into aheating load array in response to pressure drop through a mouthpiece;U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al. discloses receptacles in asmoking device that include an identifier that detects a non-uniformityin infrared transmissivity of an inserted component and a controllerthat executes a detection routine as the component is inserted into thereceptacle; U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 to Fleischhauer et al. describes adefined executable power cycle with multiple differential phases; U.S.Pat. No. 5,934,289 to Watkins et al. discloses photonic-optroniccomponents; U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al. discloses means foraltering draw resistance through a smoking device; U.S. Pat. No.6,803,545 to Blake et al. discloses specific battery configurations foruse in smoking devices; U.S. Pat. No. 7,293,565 to Griffen et al.discloses various charging systems for use with smoking devices; US2009/0320863 by Fernando et al. discloses computer interfacing means forsmoking devices to facilitate charging and allow computer control of thedevice; US 2010/0163063 by Fernando et al. discloses identificationsystems for smoking devices; and WO 2010/003480 by Flick discloses afluid flow sensing system indicative of a puff in an aerosol generatingsystem; all of the foregoing disclosures being incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. Further examples of components related toelectronic aerosol delivery articles and disclosing materials orcomponents that may be used in the present article include U.S. Pat. No.4,735,217 to Gerth et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,586 to Morgan et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,977 to Higgins et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,176 toAdams et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,287 to White; U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,218to Voges; U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,883 to Felter et al.; U.S. Pat. No.6,854,461 to Nichols; U.S. Pat. No. 7,832,410 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No.7,513,253 to Kobayashi; U.S. Pat. No. 7,896,006 to Hamano; U.S. Pat. No.6,772,756 to Shayan; US Pat. Pub. Nos. 2009/0095311, 2006/0196518,2009/0126745, and 2009/0188490 to Hon; US Pat. Pub. No. 2009/0272379 toThorens et al.; US Pat. Pub. Nos. 2009/0260641 and 2009/0260642 toMonsees et al.; US Pat. Pub. Nos. 2008/0149118 and 2010/0024834 toOglesby et al.; US Pat. Pub. No. 2010/0307518 to Wang; and WO2010/091593 to Hon. A variety of the materials disclosed by theforegoing documents may be incorporated into the present devices invarious embodiments, and all of the foregoing disclosures areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Although an article according to the disclosure may take on a variety ofembodiments, as discussed in detail below, the use of the article by aconsumer will be similar in scope. In particular, the article can beprovided as a single unit or as a plurality of components that arecombined by the consumer for use and then are dismantled by the consumerthereafter. Generally, a smoking article according to the disclosure cancomprise a first unit that is engagable and disengageable with a secondunit, the first unit comprising the resistive heating element, and thesecond unit comprising the electrical power source. In some embodiments,the second unit further can comprise one or more control components thatactuate or regulate current flow from the electrical power source. Thefirst unit can comprise a distal end that engages the second unit and anopposing, proximate end that includes a mouthpiece (or simply the mouthend) with an opening at a proximate end thereof. The first unit cancomprise an air flow path opening into the mouthpiece of the first unit,and the air flow path can provide for passage of aerosol formed from theresistive heating element into the mouthpiece. In preferred embodiments,the first unit can be disposable. Likewise, the second unit can bereusable.

More specifically, a smoking article according to the disclosure canhave a reusable control body that is substantially cylindrical in shapehaving a connecting end and an opposing, closed end. The closed end ofthe control housing may include one or more indicators of active use ofthe article. The article further can comprise a cartridge with aconnecting end that engages the connecting end of the control body andwith an opposing mouth end. To use the article, the consumer can connecta connecting end of the cartridge to the connecting end of the controlbody or otherwise combine the cartridge with the control body so thatthe article is operable as discussed herein. In some embodiments, theconnecting ends of the control body and the cartridge can be threadedfor a screw-type engagement. In other embodiments, the connecting endscan have a press-fit engagement.

During use, the consumer initiates heating of the resistive heatingelement, the heat produced by the resistive heating element aerosolizesthe aerosol precursor material and, optionally, further inhalablesubstances. Such heating releases at least a portion of the aerosolprecursor material in the form of an aerosol (which can include anyfurther inhalable substances included therewith), and such aerosol isprovided within a space inside the cartridge that is in fluidcommunication with the mouth end of the cartridge. When the consumerinhales on the mouth end of the cartridge, air is drawn through thecartridge, and the combination of the drawn air and the aerosol isinhaled by the consumer as the drawn materials exit the mouth end of thecartridge (and any optional mouthpiece present) into the mouth of theconsumer. To initiate heating, the consumer may actuate a pushbutton,capacitive sensor, or similar component that causes the resistiveheating element to receive electrical energy from the battery or otherenergy source (such as a capacitor). The electrical energy may besupplied for a pre-determined length of time or may be manuallycontrolled. Preferably, flow of electrical energy does not substantiallyproceed in between puffs on the article (although energy flow mayproceed to maintain a baseline temperature greater than ambienttemperature—e.g., a temperature that facilitates rapid heating to theactive heating temperature). In further embodiments, heating may beinitiated by the puffing action of the consumer through use of varioussensors, as otherwise described herein. Once the puff is discontinued,heating will stop or be reduced. When the consumer has taken asufficient number of puffs so as to have released a sufficient amount ofthe inhalable substance (e.g., an amount sufficient to equate to atypical smoking experience), the cartridge can be removed from thecontrol housing and discarded. Indication that the cartridge is spent(i.e., the aerosol precursor material has been substantially removed bythe consumer) can be provided. In some embodiments, a single cartridgecan provide more than a single smoking experience and thus may provide asufficient content of aerosol precursor material to simulate as much asfull pack of conventional cigarettes or even more. Likewise, a pluralityof individual reservoirs can be provided in a single smoking article toprovide a defined number of puffs, conventional cigarette equivalents,or the like.

The foregoing description of use of the article can be applied to thevarious embodiments described through minor modifications, which can beapparent to the person of skill in the art in light of the furtherdisclosure provided herein. The above description of use, however, isnot intended to limit the use of the inventive article but is providedto comply with all necessary requirements of disclosure of the presentdisclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a smoking article 10 according to thedisclosure generally can comprise a shell 15 and a plurality ofcomponents provided within the shell. The article can be characterizedas having a mouth end 11 (i.e., the end upon which a consumer can drawto inhale aerosol from the article), and a distal end 12. Theillustrated article is provided as a single unitary device (however,line A indicates an optional demarcation whereby the device can be twoseparate components that are joined together, either removably orpermanently, such as by gluing). As will be evident from the furtherdisclosure herein, it can be preferable for further embodiments of thearticle to be formed of two or more detachable units, each housingseparate components of the article. The various components shown in theembodiment of FIG. 1 can be present in other embodiments, includingembodiments formed of multiple units.

The article 10 according to the disclosure can have an overall shapethat may be defined as being substantially rod-like or substantiallytubular shaped or substantially cylindrically shaped. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the article has a substantially round cross-section; however,other cross-sectional shapes (e.g., oval, square, triangle, etc.) alsoare encompassed by the present disclosure. Such language that isdescriptive of the physical shape of the article may also be applied tothe individual units of the article in embodiments comprising multipleunits, such as a control body and a cartridge.

The shell 15 of the smoking article 10 can be formed of any materialsuitable for forming and maintaining an appropriate conformation, suchas a tubular shape, and for retaining therein the suitable components ofthe article. The shell can be formed of a single wall, as shown inFIG. 1. In some embodiments, the shell can be formed of a material(natural or synthetic) that is heat resistant so as to retain itsstructural integrity—e.g., does not degrade—at least at a temperaturethat is the heating temperature provided by the resistive heatingelement, as further discussed herein. In some embodiments, a heatresistant polymer may be used. In other embodiments, the shell can beformed from paper, such as a paper that is substantially straw-shaped.As further discussed herein, the shell, such as a paper tube, may haveone or more layers associated therewith that function to substantiallyprevent movement of vapor therethrough. In one example, an aluminum foillayer may be laminated to one surface of the shell. Ceramic materialsalso may be used.

The shell 15, when formed of a single layer, can have a thickness ofabout 0.2 mm to about 5.0 mm, about 0.5 mm to about 4.0 mm, about 0.5 mmto about 3.0 mm, or about 1.0 mm to about 3.0 mm. Further exemplarytypes of components and materials that may be used to provide thefunctions described above or be used as alternatives to the materialsand components noted above can be those of the types set forth in USPub. No. 2010/00186757 to Crooks et al.; US Pub. No. 2010/00186757 toCrooks et al.; and US Pub. No. 2011/0041861 to Sebastian et al.; thedisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

As seen in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the smoking article 10 generallyincludes an electronic control component 20, a flow sensor 30, and abattery 40, and these components can be placed in a variety of orderswithin the article. Although not expressly shown, it is understood thatthe article 10 can include wiring as necessary to provide power from thebattery 40 to the further components and to interconnect the componentsfor appropriate operation of the necessary functions provided by thearticle. The article 10 further includes a resistive heating element 50as described herein. In the illustrated embodiment, the resistiveheating element 50 is a metal coil that can be electrically connected tothe battery 40 through appropriate wiring of the terminals 51 tofacilitate formation of a closed electrical circuit with current flowthrough the heating element. Further wiring (not illustrated) can beincluded to provide the necessary electrical connections within thearticle. In specific embodiments, the article 10 can be wired with anelectrical circuit such that the control component 20 delivers,controls, or otherwise modulates power from the battery 40 forenergizing the resistive heating element 50 according to one or moredefined algorithms, such as already described above. Such electricalcircuit can specifically incorporate the flow sensor 30 such that thearticle 10 is only active at times of use by the consumer. For example,when a consumer puffs on the article 10, the flow sensor detects thepuff, and the control component 20 is then activated to direct powerthrough the article such that the resistive heating element 50 producesheat and thus provides aerosol for inhalation by the consumer. Thecontrol algorithm may call for power to the resistive heating element 50to cycle and thus maintain a defined temperature. The control algorithmtherefore can be programmed to automatically deactivate the article 10and discontinue power flow through the article after a defined timelapse without a puff by a consumer. Moreover, the article can include atemperature sensor to provide feedback to the control component. Suchsensor can be, for example, in direct contact with the resistive heatingelement 50. Alternative temperature sensing means likewise may be used,such as relying upon logic control components to evaluate resistancethrough the resistive heating element and correlate such resistance tothe temperature of the element. In other embodiments, the flow sensor 30may be replaced by appropriate components to provide alternative sensingmeans, such as capacitive sensing, as otherwise described herein. Anyvariety of sensors and combinations thereof can be incorporated, asalready described herein. Still further, one or more control buttons 16can be included to allow for manual actuation by a consumer to elicit avariety of functions, such as powering the article 10 on and off,turning on the heating element 50 to generate a vapor or aerosol forinhalation, or the like.

Additionally, the article can include on or more status indicators 19positioned on the shell 15. Such indicators, as discussed above, canshow the number of puffs taken or remaining from the article, can beindicative of an active or inactive status, can light up in response toa puff, or the like. Although six indicators are illustrated, more orfewer indicators can be present, and the indicators can take ondifferent shapes and can even being simply an opening in the shell (suchas for release of sound when such indicators are present).

As illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 1, a reservoir 205 is shown inproximity to the heating element 50, and a wick 300 extends from thereservoir 205 and into the coil of the resistive heating element 50. Thereservoir is one embodiment illustrating means of storing an aerosolprecursor material. The wick utilizes capillary action to draw theaerosol precursor material from the reservoir and into a heating zonedefined by the area in and around the resistive heating element 50 inthe form of a metal wire coil. As such, heat produced by the resistiveheating element causes the aerosol precursor material to aerosolize. Theformed aerosol is then drawn by a user through the mouth end 11 of thesmoking article 10. As the aerosol precursor material in the heatingzone is aerosolized by the heating of the resistive heating element,further aerosol precursor material is wicked out of the reservoir 205 tothe heating zone for aerosolization. The cycle continues untilsubstantially all of the aerosol precursor material has beenaerosolized.

As seen in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the mouth end 11 of the article 10is substantially an open cavity with the resistive heating element 50and the reservoir 205 disposed therein. Such open cavity provides avolume for release of the aerosol from the wick 300 as it is withdrawnfrom the reservoir and heated by the resistive heating element. Thearticle also includes a mouth opening 18 in the mouth end 11 to allowfor withdrawal of the aerosol from the cavity around the resistiveheating element 50. To facilitate air flow through the article, an airintake 17 can be provided and can substantially comprise an aperture inthe shell 15 that allows for air flow into the interior of the article.A plurality of air intakes can be provided, and the air intakes can bepositioned at any location upstream from the mouth end of the articlesuch that air from the air intake can mingle with and facilitate removalof the formed aerosol from the cavity around the resistive heatingelement/substrate and through the opening in the mouth end of thearticle. Although not illustrated, if desired, structural elements canbe provided within the article so as to effectively isolate one or morecomponents within the article from the air flowing from the air intaketo the opening in the mouth end. In other words, a defined air flow pathcan be provided, and such defined air flow path can substantially avoidair flowing through the air flow path from coming into physical contactwith one or both of the battery 40 and the control component 20. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, air taken in through the air intake 17 passes theflow sensor 30 before entering the cavity surrounding the heatingelement/substrate such that activation of the flow sensor willfacilitate heating of the heating element, as otherwise describedherein.

In preferred embodiments, the article 10 may take on a size that iscomparative to a cigarette or cigar shape. Thus, the article may have adiameter of about 5 mm to about 25 mm, about 5 mm to about 20 mm, about6 mm to about 15 mm, or about 6 mm to about 10 mm. Such dimension mayparticularly correspond to the outer diameter of the shell 15.

The smoking article 10 in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 can becharacterized as a disposable article. Accordingly, it can be desirablefor the reservoir containing the aerosol precursor material in suchembodiments to include a sufficient amount of aerosol precursor materialso that a consumer can obtain more than a single use of the article. Forexample, the article can include sufficient aerosolizable and/orinhalable materials such that the article can provide a number of puffssubstantially equivalent to the number of puffs (of about two secondsduration) available from a plurality of conventional cigarettes—e.g., 2or more, 5 or more, 10 or more, or 20 or more conventional cigarettes.More particularly, a disposable, single unit article according to theembodiment of FIG. 1 can provide about 20 or more, about 50 or more, orabout 100 or more puffs, a single puff being measured as alreadydescribed herein.

In particularly preferred embodiments an article according to thedisclosure can comprise two units that are attachable and detachablefrom each other. For example, FIG. 2 shows a smoking article 10according to one embodiment that is formed of a control body 80 and acartridge 90. In specific embodiments, the control body may be referredto as being reusable, and the cartridge may be referred to as beingdisposable. In some embodiments, the entire article may be characterizedas being disposable in that the control body may be configured for onlya limited number of uses (e.g., until a battery power component nolonger provides sufficient power to the article) with a limited numberof cartridges and, thereafter, the entire article 10, including thecontrol body, may be discarded. In other embodiments, the control bodymay have a replaceable battery such that the control body can be reusedthrough a number of battery exchanges and with many cartridges.Similarly, the article 10 may be rechargeable and thus may be combinedwith any type of recharging technology, including connection to atypical electrical outlet, connection to a car charger (i.e., cigarettelighter receptacle), and connection to a computer, such as through a USBcable.

The control body 80 and the cartridge 90 are specifically configured soas to engage one another and form an interconnected, functioning device.As illustrated in FIG. 2, the control body 80 includes a proximalattachment end 13 that includes a projection 82 having a reduceddiameter in relation to the control body. The cartridge includes adistal attachment end 14 that engages the proximal engagement end of thecontrol body 80 to provide the smoking article 10 in a functioning,usable form. In FIG. 2, the control body projection 82 includes threadsthat allow the cartridge 90 to screw onto the control body 80 viacorresponding threads (not visible in FIG. 2) in the distal attachmentend of the cartridge. Thus, the distal attachment end of the cartridge90 can include an open cavity for receiving the control body projection82. Although a threaded engagement is illustrated in FIG. 2, it isunderstood that further means of engagement are encompassed, such as apress-fit engagement, a magnetic engagement, or the like.

The functioning relationship between the control body 80 and thecartridge 90 is further seen in FIG. 3, which shows the two detachedunits in cross section. The control body 80 includes the controlcomponent 20, flow sensor 30, and battery 40. Although these componentsare illustrated in a specific alignment, it is understood that variousalignments of the components are encompassed by the disclosure. Thecontrol body 80 further includes a plurality of indicators 19 and an airintake 17 in the control body shell 81. A variety of positions for oneor more air intakes are encompassed by the disclosure. As shown, the airintake 17 is positioned such that air drawn through the intakesufficiently contacts the flow sensor 30 to activate the sensor(although other positions are encompassed, particular if differentsensing means are provided or if manual actuation, such as with a pushbutton, is provided). In other instances, the air intake 17 may bepositioned, for example, toward the distal end 12, with the flow sensor30 being disposed proximally to the distal end 12, toward the proximalattachment end 13. In such instances, for instance, the disposition ofthe air intake toward the distal end 12 may provide additional lead timefrom detecting the puff for the heating element 50 to be actuated,thereby providing a faster response (i.e., delivery of the aerosol) inresponse to the puff. The shell 81 can be formed of materials alreadydescribed herein in relation to the embodiment of FIG. 1. A receptacle60 also is included at the proximal attachment end 13 of the controlbody 80 and extends into the control body projection 82 to allow forease of electrical connection with the resistive heating element 50 whenthe cartridge 90 is attached to the control body. In the illustratedembodiment, the receptacle 60 includes a central open passage tofacilitate air flow from the air intake in the control body into thecartridge during use of the article 10.

The cartridge 90 includes a cartridge shell 91 with a mouth opening 18at the mouth end 11 thereof to allow passage of air and entrained vapor(and further inhalable materials, if present) from the cartridge to aconsumer during draw on the article 10. The cartridge shell 91 can beformed of materials as already described herein as being useful for suchpurpose. The cartridge 90 further includes a resistive heating element50 in the form of a metal wire coil. The resistive heating elementincludes terminals 51 (e.g., positive and negative terminals) at theopposing ends thereof for facilitating current flow through theresistive heating element and for attachment of the appropriate wiring(not illustrated) to form an electrical connection of the resistiveheating element with the battery 40 when the cartridge 90 is connectedto the control body 80. Specifically, a plug 65 is positioned at thedistal attachment end 14 of the cartridge. When the cartridge 90 isconnected to the control body 80, the plug 65 engages the receptacle 60to form an electrical connection such that current controllably flowsfrom the battery 40, through the receptacle and plug, and to theresistive heating element 50. The cartridge shell 91 can continue acrossthe distal attachment end such that this end of the cartridge issubstantially closed with the plug protruding therefrom. As illustratedin FIG. 3, the plug 65 includes an open central passage that aligns withthe open central passage in the receptacle 60 to allow air to flow fromthe control body 80 and into the cartridge 90.

A reservoir for use according to the present disclosure can be anycomponent that functions to store and release one or more components ofthe aerosol precursor material. In some embodiments, such as illustratedin FIG. 1, the reservoir can be a container in which the aerosolprecursor material is stored. The container can be substantiallyimpermeable in relation to the aerosol precursor such that the materialcannot escape through the walls of the container. In such embodiments,an opening can be provided for passage of the aerosol precursor materialtherefrom. For example, in FIG. 1, a wick 300 is shown filling anopening in the reservoir 205. In some instances, the reservoir 205 maycomprise a “bottle,” which may generally encompass any container havingwalls and at least one opening. The aerosol precursor material in thereservoir thus moves out of the reservoir by capillary action via thewick. Other systems for passage of the aerosol precursor material from areservoir are also encompassed by the disclosure. For example, a tube orother conduit can be used for passage of the aerosol precursor materialout of the reservoir and through the tube or other conduit. Such passagealso can occur via capillary action. Alternately, passive flow of theliquid from the reservoir can be controlled with an appropriate valvemechanism that can be opened to allow flow of the aerosol precursormaterial when the smoking article is in use and to prevent flow of theaerosol precursor material when the smoking article is not in use.Active flow mechanisms incorporating micro-pump devices also areenvisioned for use according to the present disclosure. Such a reservoircan be formed of any suitable material that is not substantiallyreactive with any components of the aerosol precursor material, and isthermally and mechanically stable, such as glass, metal, low- orno-porosity ceramics, plastics, and the like.

In some embodiments, a reservoir can be a container that is providedwithout an opening, but a portion or all of the walls of the containercan be porous and thus allow permeation of the aerosol precursormaterial out of the container through the walls thereof. For example,porous ceramics can be useful in such regard. Any other material ofsuitable porosity likewise could be used.

In particular embodiments, a reservoir can be a woven or non-wovenfabric or another mass of fibers suitable for retaining the aerosolprecursor material (e.g., through absorption, adsorption, or the like)and allowing wicking away of the aerosol precursor material fortransport to the heating zone. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates areservoir layer 201 retaining one or more components of the aerosolprecursor material. The reservoir layer is essentially a non-woven layerof fibers rolled into the form of a tube that lines a portion of theinner surface of the cartridge shell 91. Such reservoir layer can beformed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or combinations thereof.Non-limiting examples of useful materials include cotton, cellulose,cellulose acetate, polyesters, polyamides, polylactic acids,combinations thereof, and the like. Similarly, reservoir layers can beformed of ceramics.

A wick 301 (as seen in FIG. 3) for use according to the presentdisclosure can be any component that functions to transport one or moreaerosol precursor materials from a reservoir to a heating zone in thesmoking article where a resistive heating element aerosolizes theaerosol precursor material and thus form an aerosol. A wick particularlycan be a component that utilizes capillary action in the transport ofliquids. A wick for use according to the disclosure thus can be anymaterial that provides sufficient wicking action to transport one ormore components of the aerosol precursor material to the heating zone.Non-limiting examples include natural and synthetic fibers, such ascotton, cellulose, polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, polylactic acids,glass fibers, combinations thereof, and the like. Wicks further can becoated with materials that alter the capillary action of the fibers, andthe fibers used in forming wicks can have specific cross-sectional shapeand can be grooved so as to alter the capillary action of the fibers.Fibers used in forming wicks can be bundled, provided as a woven fabric,or provided as a non-woven fabric.

FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically illustrate alternate aspects of a smokingarticle 500 according to the present disclosure. In such aspects, thesmoking article 500 may generally comprise a shell 510 having a mouthend 511 (i.e., the end upon which a consumer can draw to inhale aerosolfrom the article), and an opposed distal end 512. Such a smoking article500, in some aspects, can include a filter material 600 (such ascellulose acetate or polypropylene) in (see, e.g., FIG. 4A), engagedwith (see, e.g., FIG. 4B), or otherwise associated with the mouth end511 thereof, for example, to increase the structural integrity thereofand/or to provide filtering capacity, if desired, and/or to provideresistance to draw. In some instances, the filter material 600 may beconfigured to provide an enhancing effect on the vapor/aerosol drawnthrough the mouth end 511. For example, in some aspects, the filtermaterial 600 may include a flavorant, medicament, or other inhalablematerial, implemented in a suitable manner so as to selectively directthe same into an air stream to be inhaled by a user along with theaerosol precursor or vapor precursor material.

In one aspect, such a vapor-enhancing aspect may include theaforementioned filter material 600 and a tubular housing defining alumen 610, with the housing having a mouth-engaging end and alongitudinally-opposed component-engaging end. The lumen 610 may beconfigured to receive the filter material 600 therein, and thecomponent-engaging end may be adapted to operably engage a control bodyportion 506 associated with the smoking article 500, if the housingcomprises a component of the cartridge body portion 505 itself (i.e., isat least partially defined by the shell 510; see, e.g., FIG. 4A), or thecomponent-engaging end may be adapted to engage the cartridge bodyportion 505, if the housing is a discrete component with respect to thecartridge body portion 505 and the control body portion 506 (see, e.g.,FIG. 4B). In any instance, the vapor-enhancing aspect may be configuredto receive the vapor/aerosol through the lumen defined thereby. Inparticular aspects, the vapor-enhancing aspect may include avapor-enhancing element (see, e.g., element 620 in FIGS. 4A and 4B)operably engaged with the filter material 600 and configured to enhancethe vapor drawn through the filter material 600 within the lumen 610,and through the mouth-engaging end, by application of a suction to themouth-engaging end of the housing of the vapor-enhancing aspect.

In some aspects, the filter material 600 may comprise a suitable filtermaterial such as, for example, cellulose acetate tow, regeneratedcellulose fiber tow, gathered paper, nonwoven polypropylene web,gathered strands of shredded web, any other suitable fibrous towmaterial, and/or combinations thereof, and/or any such suitable filtermaterial having a coating or film (reactive or non-reactive) appliedthereto. A suitable filter material, for example, may exhibit adesirable resistance to draw (suction), may provide an expected taste orother perception, and/or may be biodegradable. Such example, however, donot preclude other desirable properties of such filter materials.

In one aspect, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4A, the housing isconfigured as a component of a cartridge body portion 505 (i.e., is atleast partially defined by the shell 510) of the electronic vaporsmoking article 500, wherein the cartridge body portion 505, asdisclosed herein, is engaged with the control body portion 506. In suchinstances, the mouth-engaging end of the housing 511 is configured toretain the filter material 600, and optionally the vapor-enhancingelement 620, within the lumen 610. In another aspect, as shown, forexample, in FIG. 4B, the component-engaging end 630A of the housing 630is configured to be removably engaged with a cartridge body portion 505of the electronic vapor smoking article 500, wherein the cartridge bodyportion 505 is engaged between the housing 630 and the control bodyportion 506, such that the housing 630 is replaceable with respect tothe cartridge body portion 505. That is, the housing 630 may comprise adiscrete component with respect to the cartridge body portion 505 andthe control body portion 506. Such a discrete housing 630 may also beconfigured to house the vapor-enhancing element 620. In either instance,the housing 630 may further comprise a flange 640 disposed about themouth-engaging end 630B thereof, wherein the flange 640 extends radiallyinward with respect to the housing 630 so as to retain the filtermaterial 600 within the lumen 610.

In some aspects, the housing 630 (or shell 510 in aspects where theshell 510 at least partially defines the housing 630) and/or the filtermaterial 600 may comprise an indicia (see, e.g., element 650 in FIGS. 4Aand 4B) indicative of a nature of the enhancement of the vapor providedby the vapor-enhancing element 620 associated therewith. For example,the housing 630 and/or the filter material 600 may have a particularcolor to correspond to a flavor enhancement. In other instances, forexample, a graphic may be provided on the housing 630 to indicate theflavor or other enhancement provided by the vapor-enhancing element 620.In other instances, the housing 630 and/or the filter material 600 maycomprise an indicia (see, e.g., element 650 in FIGS. 4A and 4B)indicative of a remaining service life of the enhancement of the vaporprovided by the vapor-enhancing element 620. For example, a particularcolor of the filter material 600 corresponding to a flavor enhancementmay fade to a white color as the service life of the vapor-enhancingelement is expended. In other instances, for example, the housing mayinclude a gradated level including a series of markers that successivelyfade or disappear as the service life of the vapor-enhancing element isexpended. In the alternative, instead of indicating the remainingservice life, the indicia (see, e.g., element 650 in FIGS. 4A and 4B)may be indicative of an expended service life of the enhancement of thevapor provided by the vapor-enhancing element. For example, the housing630 may include a numerical indicia that increases in number as theservice life of the vapor-enhancing element is expended. In yet otherinstances, the housing and/or the filter material may comprise anindicia indicative of compatibility of one of the vapor-enhancingelement, the filter material, and the housing with the control bodyportion 506, upon operable engagement between the housing 630 and thecontrol body portion 506 (or upon operable engagement between thecartridge body portion 505 and the control body portion 506, when thevapor-enhancing aspect is integral with the cartridge body portion 505).For example, the housing 630 may include an electrically-powered indiciathat flashes green upon operable engagement between the housing 630 andthe control body portion 506, wherein, if the housing is not compatibleor authorized for use with the control body portion, the green light maynot flash, or may be replaced with a flashing red indicia. As such, oneskilled in the art will also appreciate that the example presentedherein are not intended to be limiting in any manner, since such anindicia may take many different forms, as necessary or appropriate.

The vapor-enhancing element 620 may take many different forms. Forexample, the vapor-enhancing element may comprise a liquid engaged withthe filter material. That is, the filter material may be treated withthe liquid prior to being incorporated into the housing. In otherinstances, the liquid may be introduced to the filter material once thefilter material has been inserted into the housing. In other aspects,the housing 630 (or the shell 510 of the cartridge body portion 505 ininstances when the vapor-enhancing aspect is integral with the cartridgebody portion 505) may be configured to be resilient, and thevapor-enhancing element 620 may comprise a frangible member introducedinto the filter material. The frangible member 620 may be configured tohouse or otherwise include an enhancement substance. In such instances,the frangible member may be further configured to be responsive to acompressive force applied to the resilient housing (i.e., a mechanicalforce such as squeezing or twisting) to rupture and release theenhancement substance into engagement with the filter material. That is,in one example, the frangible member 620 may comprise, for example, acapsule member or a plurality of capsule members (or microcapsulemembers), wherein each capsule member may include an enhancementsubstance comprising, for example, a liquid flavorant. In suchinstances, compression or other mechanical manipulation of the resilienthousing may cause the frangible member to rupture and release the liquidpayload (i.e., a flavorant) into the filter material 600.

The vapor-enhancing element 620 may, in some aspects, comprise oneelement/object, a plurality of elements/objects, or a combination ofelements/objects. In other aspects, the vapor-enhancing element 620 maycomprise one of a thread, a filament, a microcapsule, a capsule, apellet, a granule, a flavorant, and combinations thereof. In someinstances, the vapor-enhancing element 620 may comprise a plurality ofserially-engaged objects. In instances where the vapor comprises atobacco component or a tobacco-derived material, the filter materialand/or the vapor-enhancing element, in the form of the one or moreelements/objects or combination of elements/objects, may be configuredto alter a characteristic of the vapor. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No.5,724,997 to Smith et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,369 to Andresen et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 7,972,254 to Stokes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,262,550 toBarnes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,740,019 to Barnes et al.; U.S. Pat. No.7,836,895 to Dube et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,793,665 to Dube et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 7,984,719 to Dube et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,066,011 to Clark etal.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,115,085 to Deal; U.S. Pat. No. 7,654,945 to Deal;U.S. Pat. No. 7,833,146 to Deal; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,098 to Thomaset al.; U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US2010/0192962 toBarnes et al.; US2012/0037173 to Clark et al.; US 2008/0142028 to Fagg;US2010/0101589 to Nelson et al.; and 2011/0271968 to Carpenter et al.;U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/248,847 to Novak, III, et al.; andU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/675,187 to Ademe, et al.; each ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In one aspect, the vapor-enhancing element 620 may be configured to beelectrically-actuated. In such instances, the housing 630 (or thecartridge body portion 505 in instances when the vapor-enhancing aspectis integral with the cartridge body portion 505) may be configured toform an electrically-conductive connection between the vapor-enhancingelement 620 and the control body portion 506 upon operable engagement ofthe housing with the control body portion. For example, the housing mayhave a conductive element associated therewith and configured tocomplementarily engage a corresponding conductive element associatedwith the control body portion and extending into electrical engagementwith the battery 40. Further, the conductive element of the housing mayextend into electrical engagement with the vapor-enhancing element so asto be capable of actuating the vapor-enhancing element. For example, thevapor-enhancing element may have a resistive coil associated therewithwherein, in such instances, electrical actuation of the resistiveelement, in turn, heats the vapor-enhancing element (i.e., a thermalmechanism) to actuate the vapor enhancement aspect. In other instances,for example, the electrically-conductive connection may be implementedto actuate a physical mechanism for releasing the vapor-enhancing aspectfrom the vapor-enhancing element 620. More particularly, in someinstances, the vapor-enhancing aspect may comprise a liquid, vapor, orgas stored in a containing member (not shown) having a release port,wherein the release port can be electrically actuated, as necessary ordesired, to release the vapor-enhancing aspect into the filter material600 for interaction with the vapor drawn therethrough.

In summary, or as may otherwise be additionally disclosed herein,aspects of an electronic vapor smoking article 500 incorporating afilter material 600 having a vapor-enhancing element 620 associatedtherewith, may be particularly configured to provide a vapor enhancementeffect (i.e., a flavor) by way of the filter element through which thevapor is drawn by the user. For example, menthol or other volatileflavor may be added to the drawn vapor via a mouth-end portion of theelectronic vapor smoking article 500. In one aspect, the vapor-enhancingelement 620 may be, for instance, liquid menthol or other liquid flavorinjected, dripped, poured, or otherwise introduced into a celluloseacetate filter material 600 (or a filter material 600 of any othersuitable material or combination of materials) during the process ofmaking the filter element. In particular aspects, it may be desirable toimplement a relatively high Denier-per-fiber (DPF) filter tow or othersuitable filter material (i.e., between about 4 DPF and about 8 DPF), inorder to facilitate maximum throughput of the vapor (i.e., a filtermaterial configured for minimal removal efficiency).

As previously discussed, the filter element may be configured, forexample, to be an integral component of the electronic vapor smokingarticle 500 (or “vapor-producing device”), or otherwise configured to bean addition or supplemental component to an existing electronic vaporsmoking article 500. For example, in an integral configuration, thefilter element (i.e., the filter material 600 and the vapor-enhancingelement 620) may be inserted into the tubular housing of the electronicvapor smoking article 500. In a two-piece configuration, the filterelement may be inserted into the cartridge body portion 505 or thecontrol body portion 506, as necessary or desired, such that the filterelement is in communication with the vapor source and disposed withinthe vapor pathway between the vapor source and the mouth-end portion ofthe electronic vapor smoking article 500. In some instances, the filterelement may be inserted directly into the tubular housing of theelectronic vapor smoking article 500, with the filter element beinglongitudinally retained by an appropriate retention element. Forexample, the filter element may be separated from the vapor source by aporous element disposed in the vapor pathway therebetween. Anappropriate porous element is desirably configured to retain the filterelement in a longitudinal position along the housing, while allowing thevapor to pass therethrough, and may comprise, for instance, an o-ring, aperforated disc, or any other suitable porous element for separating thefilter element from the vapor source, vaporizer, or vaporizing liquid.Toward the mouth-end portion, the filter element may be longitudinallyretained by an appropriate mechanism such as, for example, an end capengaged with the housing, a flange, or a crimp in the housing.

In yet other integral configuration aspects, the filter element may beself-contained in a filter element housing, wherein the filter elementhousing may include a porous or perforated end configured to be disposedtoward the vapor source, and an opposing crimped, flanged, or capped endconfigured to be disposed toward the mouth-end portion. In suchinstances, the filter element housing may be configured to be insertedinto the tubular housing and maintained in the desired longitudinalposition by an appropriate mechanism, or even in a friction fit, as willbe appreciated by one skilled in the art.

In still further aspects, the filter element may be configured to beengaged with the electronic vapor smoking article as a supplemental oradditional accessory. More particularly, the filter element may beself-contained in a filter element housing having a porous or perforatedend configured to be disposed toward the vapor source, and an opposingcrimped, flanged, or capped end configured to be disposed toward themouth-end portion. The filter element housing may be further configured,for example, as the housing 630 previously discussed, or may otherwisebe configured to attach to one end of the cartridge body portion 505 orthe control body portion 506. For example, the filter element housingmay be configured to be attached to the mouth-end portion of thecartridge body portion 505, as previously disclosed. One skilled in theart will appreciate, however, that the filter element housing may beconfigured to be attached between the cartridge body portion 505 and thecontrol body portion 506 in an appropriately-configured electronic vaporsmoking article. In instances where the filter element housing isexternally exposed, particularly in instances where the filter elementhousing is engaged with the mouth-end portion of the electronic vaporsmoking article 500, the filter element housing may be configured orotherwise comprised of a material suitable to provide or impart a softfeel or otherwise pleasingly tactile texture to the lips, teeth, and/orfingers of the user.

In such instances wherein the filter element housing is externallyexposed, particularly in instances where the filter element housing isengaged with the mouth-end portion of the electronic vapor smokingarticle 500, the vapor-enhancing element 620 may be further configuredto provide pleasing sensations to the user. For example, as previouslydisclosed, the vapor-enhancing element 620 may be configured to beelectrically-actuated. Accordingly, whether the electrical conduction isimplemented to actuate a physical mechanism, or implemented to provide athermal mechanism (i.e., heating without decomposition), for providingthe vapor-enhancing aspect, heat may be generated. As such, in thoseinstances, the filter element housing may be configured to receive thevapor-enhancing element 620 such that, upon actuation of thevapor-enhancing element 620 in a manner that generates heat, arelatively low level of heat is experienced by the user via the filterelement housing. For example, heating menthol, as the vapor-enhancingelement within the filter material, may be accomplished at relativelylow temperatures which, in turn, may heat the filter element housing,for instance, to a temperature between about 25° C. and about 60° C. Insuch an instance, the “warm” filter element housing may be pleasing tothe user, while the elevated temperature of the filter element housingmay allow the electrical/thermal process associated with actuation ofthe vapor-enhancing element 620 to operate at a higher temperature,thereby possibly enhancing the release/actuation of the vapor-enhancingaspect.

In instances where the filter element housing is engaged with themouth-end portion of the electronic vapor smoking article 500, thevapor-enhancing element 620 may be further configured to be actuatedupon engagement between the filter element housing and the mouth endportion. For example, the vapor-enhancing element 620 may be disposed orotherwise arranged about the interaction/interface between the filterelement housing and the mouth-cnd portion such that engagementtherebetween physically actuates that vapor-enhancing element 620. Moreparticularly, the vapor-enhancing element may comprise a capsule orother frangible reservoir, and the filter element housing and themouth-end portion may be configured for a threaded engagementtherebetween. In such configurations, the threaded engagement betweenthe filter element housing and the mouth-end portion may compress,squeeze, pinch, twist, or otherwise impinge upon the capsule/reservoirand cause rupture or other mechanical breach thereof, and therebyreleasing the vapor-enhancing aspect into the filter material forinteraction with the vapor.

In additional aspects, the vapor-enhancing element 620 may comprise, forexample, a crushable capsule containing a flavoring substance; aplurality of microcapsules, each containing a flavoring substance, oneor more threads of cellulose acetate, cotton, rayon or other suitableabsorbent material, saturated with a flavoring (liquid) substance.

In other aspects, the filter material may comprise other highly porousfibers, tows, films, pellets, threads, or non-woven materials such as,for example, rayon, polyester, polypropylene, in addition to or insteadof cellulose acetate, wherein the highly porous fibers may be configuredto collect and retain a liquid flavorant. In other instances, a vaporenhancing element 620 comprising, for example, a flavorant, may becompounded into a plastic material such as low density or high densitypolyethylene, wherein the flavorant would be subject to slow or longterm release. The compounded vapor enhancing element 620 may beprovided, for example, as a pellet, or may be compounded prior to theplastic (i.e., a non-woven material) being created.

In yet other aspects, the filter element may be comprised of celluloseacetate, wherein a hollow center portion therein may be shaped orotherwise configured to facilitate flow of the vapor therethrough whilestill infusing the vapor with the vapor-enhancing element 620, such as aflavorant. The vapor-enhancing element 620 may be associated with thefilter material 600, as previously disclosed, or may be disposed withinthe hollow center portion of the fitter element. Further, thevapor-enhancing element 620 may be configured to be responsive to oractuated by chemicals or moisture in the vapor drawn into engagementtherewith. For example, the vapor may be chemically reactive with thevapor-enhancing element, wherein the chemical reaction provides thedesired vapor-enhancing effect, or moisture in the vapor may dissolve orotherwise draw the vapor-enhancing element into the vapor.

In other aspects, the filter may be configured to include a separateheating element configured and disposed to interact with thevapor-enhancing element 620 so as to, for example, facilitate release ofthe vapor enhancement (i.e., a flavorant) into the filter material 600.

In still other aspects, the filter element (i.e., the filter materialand/or the vapor-enhancing element 620) may include, for example,exothermic chemical reactants configured to react with the vapor tocreate heat, wherein the heat, in turn may facilitate release of thevapor enhancement (i.e., a flavorant) into the filter material 600.

In some aspects, the vapor-enhancing element 620 may comprise, forexample, an enhancement-impregnated adsorbent material such as activatedcarbon, clay, or other suitable adsorbent material, wherein theenhancement impregnated into the adsorbent may comprise, for instance, aflavorant.

In other instances, the vapor-enhancing element 620 may comprise, forexample, a liquid flavorant or other vapor-enhancing substance containedor otherwise housed in a reservoir. In such instances, the liquidflavorant or other vapor-enhancing substance may be configured to wickor otherwise be delivered from the reservoir and into the filtermaterial 600 to initially treat filter material 600 or to refresh,supplement, or change the flavorant already included in the filtermaterial 600. Further, in such instances, the liquid flavorant or othervapor-enhancing substance may be manually delivered from the reservoirto the filter material 600, on demand, by user actuation of anappropriate mechanism such as, for instance, a squeeze or pump actionapplied to the reservoir either directly or via compression of thefilter material 600 or housing of the electronic vapor smoking article500.

In still other instances, the vapor-enhancing element 620 may beconfigured, for example, to facilitate vapor dispersion or vaporcooling, upon interaction with the vapor drawn through the filterelement by the user, prior to the enhanced vapor entering the user'smouth.

In still further aspects, the vapor-enhancing element 620 may compriseor otherwise incorporate, for example, an acidic coating applied to thefilter material 600 or acidic particles added to the filter material600, with the acidic substance being configured to protonate nicotineand impart to the vapor a smoother vapor sensation or flavorcharacteristic. In such instances, suitable acidic substances mayinclude, for example, levulenic acid, purovic acid, and/or citric acid.

Of course, one skilled in the art will further appreciate that thedisclosure herein may also be associated with corresponding methods. Inone aspect, as shown in FIG. 5, such a method may comprise a method ofenhancing a vapor produced by an electronic vapor smoking article(element 700), wherein such a method may comprise operably engaging acomponent-engaging end of a tubular housing with a control body portionassociated with the electronic vapor smoking article, wherein thetubular housing has a mouth-engaging end longitudinally-opposed to thecomponent-engaging end, and defines a lumen configured to receive afilter material therein (block 720). A vapor is received through thelumen of the housing in response to application of suction to themouth-engaging end of the housing (block 740). In doing so, the vapordrawn through the filter material by the suction is enhanced with avapor-enhancing element operably engaged with the filter material (block760). The filter material may comprise one of a cellulose acetate tow, aregenerated cellulose fiber tow, gathered paper, a nonwovenpolypropylene web, gathered strands of shredded web, any other suitablefibrous tow material, or combinations thereof.

In some aspects, the methods may further comprise displaying an indiciaabout one of the housing and the filter material, wherein the indiciamay be indicative of at least one of a nature of the enhancement of thevapor provided by the vapor-enhancing element; a remaining service lifeof the enhancement of the vapor provided by the vapor-enhancing element;an expended service life of the enhancement of the vapor provided by thevapor-enhancing element; and a compatibility of one of thevapor-enhancing element, the filter material, and the housing with thecontrol body portion, upon operable engagement between the housing andthe control body portion. The vapor-enhancing element may comprise, forexample, a liquid engaged with the filter material. In other instances,the housing may be configured to be resilient, and the vapor-enhancingelement may comprise a frangible member introduced into the filtermaterial and housing an enhancement substance, wherein the methodfurther comprises rupturing the frangible member in response to acompressive force applied to the resilient housing, and releasing theenhancement substance from the frangible member into engagement with thefilter material.

In various aspects, the vapor drawn through the filter material may beenhanced with a vapor-enhancing element comprising one of a plurality ofobjects deposited within the filter material, a thread, a filament, amicrocapsule, a capsule, a pellet, a granule, a flavorant, a pluralityof serially-engaged objects, and combinations thereof. In particularinstances, the vapor may be enhanced by altering a characteristic of thevapor, wherein the vapor comprises a tobacco component or atobacco-derived material, with the filter material and/or thevapor-enhancing element. For example, a filter material comprisingcellulose acetate may provide a sensory experience, such as by alteringthe flavor of the tobacco component or a tobacco-derived material,expected by a user of a conventional smoking article (i.e., cigarette).

Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure will come tomind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains havingthe benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions andthe associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that thedisclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosedherein and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to beincluded within the scope of the appended claims. Although specificterms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptivesense only and not for purposes of limitation.

1-29. (canceled)
 30. An electronic vapor smoking apparatus, comprising:a control body portion including a power source; a cartridge bodyportion having a mouth-engaging end and a longitudinally-opposedcomponent-engaging end, the component-engaging end being adapted tooperably engage the control body portion; a reservoir arranged in thecartridge body portion and arranged to contain a vapor precursorcomposition; a heating element arranged in the control body portion orthe cartridge body portion and to heat the vapor precursor compositionfrom the reservoir to form a vapor; a passage defined in the cartridgebody portion and in fluid communication with the mouth-engaging end, thevapor being transmitted through the passage to the mouth-engaging end inresponse to application of suction to the passage via the mouth-engagingend of the cartridge body portion; and a vapor-enhancing elementarranged in the cartridge body portion in communication with thepassage, the vapor-enhancing element being further arranged to releasean enhancement into the vapor drawn along the passage through themouth-engaging end.
 31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein thecartridge body portion is replaceable with respect to the control bodyportion.
 32. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the cartridgebody portion or the control body portion comprises an indicia indicativeof one or more of: a nature of the enhancement of the vapor provided bythe vapor-enhancing element; a remaining service life of thevapor-enhancing element in regard to the enhancement provided to thevapor; an expended service life of the vapor-enhancing element in regardto the enhancement provided to the vapor; and compatibility of thecartridge body portion with the control body portion, upon operableengagement between the cartridge body portion and the control bodyportion.
 33. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein theenhancement released by the vapor-enhancing element does not includenicotine and includes a flavorant, a medicament, an inhalable material,or combinations thereof.
 34. The apparatus according to claim 30,wherein the vapor-enhancing element is arranged to beelectrically-actuated, and the cartridge body portion is arranged toform an electrically-conductive connection between the vapor-enhancingelement and the control body portion upon operable engagement with thecontrol body portion.
 35. The apparatus according to claim 30, whereinthe vapor precursor composition comprises nicotine, and the enhancementreleased by the vapor-enhancing element is arranged to alter acharacteristic of the nicotine-including vapor.
 36. The apparatusaccording to claim 30, wherein the heating element is a resistiveheating element comprising a metal coil electrically connected to thepower source.
 37. The apparatus according to claim 36, furthercomprising a wick or a capillary material arranged to deliver the vaporprecursor composition from the reservoir to the metal coil.
 38. Theapparatus according to claim 30, wherein the cartridge body portioncomprises an indicator of a vapor precursor composition level associatedwith the reservoir therein.
 39. The apparatus according to claim 30,further comprising a sensor associated with a control component arrangedto control actuation of power discharge from the power source inresponse to the application of suction to the mouth-engaging end of thecartridge body portion.
 40. The apparatus according to claim 30, furthercomprising a filter element attachable to or included in the cartridgebody portion, wherein the vapor-enhancing element is operably engagedwith the filter element.
 41. A method of enhancing a vapor produced byan electronic vapor smoking article, the method comprising: operablyengaging a component-engaging end of a cartridge body portion with acontrol body portion including a power source, the cartridge bodyportion having a mouth-engaging end longitudinally-opposed to thecomponent-engaging end; directing a vapor precursor compositioncontained in a reservoir arranged in the cartridge body portion to aheating element arranged in the control body portion or the cartridgebody portion; heating the vapor precursor composition with the heatingelement to form a vapor; transmitting the vapor through a passage to themouth-engaging end, the passage being defined in the cartridge bodyportion and in fluid communication with the mouth-engaging end, inresponse to application of suction to the passage via the mouth-engagingend of the cartridge body portion; and enhancing the vapor drawn alongthe passage through the mouth-engaging end with a vapor-enhancingelement arranged in the cartridge body portion in communication with thepassage.
 42. The method according to claim 41, wherein operably engagingthe component-engaging end of the cartridge body portion with thecontrol body portion further comprises removably engaging thecomponent-engaging end of the cartridge body portion.
 43. The methodaccording to claim 41, further comprising displaying an indicia aboutone of the cartridge body portion or the control body portion, theindicia being indicative of one or more of: a nature of the enhancementof the vapor provided by the vapor-enhancing element; a remainingservice life of the vapor-enhancing element in regard to the enhancementprovided to the vapor; an expended service life of the vapor-enhancingelement in regard to the enhancement provided to the vapor; andcompatibility of the cartridge body portion with the control bodyportion, upon operable engagement between the cartridge body portion andthe control body portion.
 44. The method according to claim 41, whereinenhancing the vapor drawn along the passage further comprises enhancingthe vapor drawn along the passage by the vapor-enhancing element thatdoes not include nicotine, and includes a flavorant, a medicament, aninhalable material, or combinations thereof.
 45. The method according toclaim 41, wherein enhancing the vapor drawn along the passage furthercomprises electrically actuating the vapor-enhancing element, thecartridge body portion being arranged to form an electrically-conductiveconnection between the vapor-enhancing element and the control bodyportion upon operably engaging the control body portion
 46. The methodaccording to claim 41, wherein the vapor precursor composition comprisesnicotine, and wherein enhancing the vapor drawn along the passagefurther comprises altering a characteristic of the nicotine-includingvapor.
 47. The method according to claim 41, wherein heating the vaporprecursor composition further comprises heating the vapor precursorcomposition with a resistive heating element comprising a metal coilelectrically connected to the power source.
 48. The method according toclaim 47, wherein directing the vapor precursor composition to theheating element further comprises directing the vapor precursorcomposition to the heating element using a wick or a capillary materialto deliver the vapor precursor composition from the reservoir to themetal coil.
 49. The method according to claim 41, further comprisingcontrolling actuation of power discharge from the power source using asensor associated with a control component in response to theapplication of suction to the mouth-engaging end of the cartridge bodyportion.
 50. The method according to claim 41, further comprisingoperably engaging the vapor-enhancing element with a filter elementattachable to or included in the cartridge body portion.